EDUCATION
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Virginia PTA names Dr. Gill Superintendent of the Year
Hanover County holiday closings listed PAGE
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Vol. 3 No. 45 | Richmond Suburban News | July 4, 2018
Chalkley reviews laws that took effect Sunday (Editor’s note: The following was submitted by R.E. “Trip” Chalkley III, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Hanover County. He submits an overview of new laws taking effect on July 1 every year.) July 1, 2018, will, as always, have new laws or amendments to existing criminal statutes take effect. The following is only a summary of the legislative changes which I feel will be of interest to my fellow citizens. Please be cognizant that this is only a summary of new legislation and does not detail all changes. Should the reader have any questions, please call me at 365-6186. As always, my thanks to Senators (Ryan) McDougle and (Siobhan) Dunnavant and Delegates (Chris) Peace and (Buddy) Fowler for being receptive to my concerns and their efforts in the legislative process. Any private swim club may permit its members to bring lawfully acquired alcoholic beverages onto the premises and to consume them on the premises. Abandoning an animal will now be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor (up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $2,500 either or both). This amendment increases the penalty from a Class 3 misdemeanor ($500 fine). Also, the definition of “abandon” is changed from 5 days to 4 days of failing to provide basic care. An agency seeking asset forfeiture of money or property, must now inform D.C.J.S. (Department of Criminal Justice Services) what offense the requested forfeiture is based upon, whether the owner of the property has been charged and the status of any charge. In essence, asset forfeiture is the procedure whereby an agency seizes property gained by enumerated illegal means. No forfeiture can occur without a legal proceeding. The authority for multi-jurisdiction grand
juries to investigate fraud crimes has been expanded. The threshold amount for felony CHALKLEY charges in certain larceny cases has been increased from $200 to $500. The $200 threshold had been the standard since 1980. Among the statutes affected are grand larceny, petit larceny, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, certain arson offenses, and credit card fraud. Numerous offenses which punish larceny and fraud offenses are impacted by these amendments. The penalty for female genital mutilation was increased to a Class 2 felony (20 years to life and a fine up to $100,000) from a Class 1 misdemeanor. This change is consistent with the existing penalty for aggravated malicious wounding. Local governments may expand criminal blight ordinances to include the regular presence of persons using the property for illegal drug use and sale, commercial sex trafficking or prostitution, or repeated acts of the malicious discharge of firearms within the building. A new code section prohibits drones on or within 50 feet of another’s dwelling if it is done with the intent to coerce, intimidate or harass; or the drone operator has received actual notice to desist. This does not apply if see LAWS pg. 2
Ashland is the place to be on the Fourth
2017 file photos/Nick Liberante
The lawn chair brigade performed one of its signature formations in the photo at left during the 2017 Fourth of July Celebration in Ashland. On the right at the top winning entries in the Apple Pie Contest are displayed for visitors at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center at 500 S. Center St. in Ashland to admire. At right, as the Hanover Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol presents the colors, Ashland residents and visitors stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance. This year’s event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in and around the Hanover Arts and Activities Center. The day includes an old-fashioned parade, a patriotic concert, food games, Patriotic Pet Contest, and Apple Pie Contest winners. For more information, go to https:// www.virginia.org/Listings/Events/FourthofJulyCelebrationinAshland.
The year was 2009 . . .
As the Hanover Tomato Festival prepares to celebrate its 40th year, this photo from 2009 is a reminder of the record crowd -- 42,000 -- that turned out at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville. For more on the Tomato Festival, turn to page 5.